I got him this time.... and a couple more too ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I really enjoy parades. I used to live in a small town in Georgia that seemed to have one almost every month. It didn't matter what was going on, same folks, every time. Fire engine, big ladder truck with some local dignitary on top tossing candy to kids. Convertible car, usually an antique of some kind, some overdressed young lady waving. High school band playing on and on. Didn't matter why, just fun. The little town I grew up in had a parade once that I was a part of. Don't remember much about it. I remember it was in the fall, because it was cool and overcast. The team I played football for, the 85 lb Acworth midgets were to ride on a trailer behind a tractor and wave and toss candy. Well, as it sometimes turns out, there was a tiny snag. My pastor, a guy we all liked, had the church put together a very simple float. They took a trailer and put kind of a wall up in the back and had a short church pew bolted down and a podium at the front. One young man was to stand there and pretend to preach to two others sitting in the pew. As if you'd catch me in the front pew, really? Anyway, I've already given it away. He asked me to sit up there with some girl. So, full uniform, pads and all pretending to enjoy a false fire and brimstone message from the front pew. I discovered then that truly it's more fun to watch a parade than to be in one. Not one piece of candy. There is something I've been involved in for the about three years that I've heard mistakenly imagined to be a parade. It's actually a funeral procession. As I've said many times and most of my blogs are about my involvement with the Patriot Guard Riders. I ride with them as often as I can. Much unlike a parade, these are solemn events and my participation in them is a matter of dignity and pride. I'ts very moving to be with a family at the worst possible time, sharing their most private and intimate moment with a loved one they will only see again in the afterlife. It's something I feel has to be done. Someone has to do it. I've been to many funerals. My mother used to want me to go with her. She went to funerals that the rest of the family missed. Someone has to be there. I've also been a part of the Knights of Columbus, an organization within the Catholic church, where I was a part of many funerals. But let me get back. Saturday was not a funeral. The Patriot Guard was invited to be a part of the Veteran's Day parade in Duncan, Oklahoma. I know that I mentioned that it was better to watch a parade than to participate in one. I actually was a part of building a parade last year and learned that it's for real not where you want to be! Anyway, I will ride with the Guard anytime I'm able, even in a parade. Besides, this was more than a parade, it was another opportunity to show how much I appreciate our military. There is, here we go again, a happening in Washington D.C. every year on Memorial weekend that I have been a part of for the last two years that has been mistaken as a parade. This year I was somewhere in the first fourth of close to a half of million motorcycles involved in the Rolling Thunder demonstration, riding through the streets of D.C. Ok, I promise, this is it. This year, as I did two years ago, I rode with some Patriot Guard members along with riders from the much beloved and quickly growing Biker church. There was also the Combat Veterans motorcycle club and a few others. All there to ride in support and appreciation of all veterans. As happened two years ago I passed this maybe not so young man wearing his tan suit with his Marine Corps tie and his WWII baseball style cap. When I saw him before, standing tall and proud, as we were moving slowly by, I couldn't help but salute him and of course he snapped one back. Still brings a tear to the eye. I was wearing a pair of sunglasses that happen to have the ability to record audio and video and hopefully someday I will find someone to take that video and steal one frame from it so I can have a picture of this man. I wondered what he had seen, could I even handle the stories that he can't or won't forget. I'd love to spend some time with him, just listening to him talk. I try to give any of those folks time nowadays. They want to talk, I'll listen. Try it, it's well worth the time you give them. Moving right along, this year's parade was bigger and we were behind the high school band and they were walking, of course and playing, so the pace was slower. Fine with me, that way you get a chance to interact a bit with the onlookers. Well, we rounded the corner and down a bit and there he was. I knew I had time, so I just kinda eased on over and stuck out my hand. He reached out and grabbed me with a still quite forceful grip and I told him, "thank you sir for your service". He was smiling and his wife quickly shouted out, "he was a tunnel rat"! Oh my God. I've heard over the years about tunnel rats. No, there would be no way I could sleep if he told me his stories. As much as I had inside for that old man, now I had more. The kid in front of me on the crotch rocket and the guy wearing the colors for the Combat Vets MC in front of him noticed what I had done, so we went hunting. By the end of the parade, we had stopped and had the immense pleasure of shaking the hands of three more of those forever young men. It will be a scene that will play before my eyes for the rest of my days. And it will always bring a tear to my eye. I guess I was wrong, sometimes it IS better to be a part of the parade than to just watch. Still....got no candy. Happy Veteran's Day! From the wet behind the ears boot to the seasoned veteran and all those in between. Much love and many thanks, from me to you!

You're not gonna like this... But I feel like it's my turn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now that the election is over, I'd like to give my take on a few things. I feel that the Republican Party is at a crossroads. I'm wondering how you can have all these rich folks donating dump truck loads of money into an election and the other guy is picking up pennies in the parking lot and still lose. You need to find a viable candidate. Excuse me, I saw the pop. vote and we all know that the powers that be decided that we are not smart enough to vote for who we like or that, as usual, they have a better way. I'm with all those upset this morning and have been on the other side of the fence before. I'm for doing away with the electoral college. But as I said, you need a viable candidate. Mr. Romney has a great smile and nice hair and a beautiful wife. But he is an ultra rich guy that can find no common ground with the multitude of people that struggle daily to stay alive. The fact that he associates with only those of his type shows. I've said it many times over the last few years. When the party sent out, what I've referred to as, "the boob and the bimbo, take your pick as to which was which". I had no choice. I've also said facetiously, I would've voted for a Castro/Chavez ticket rather than those two. The party couldn't have been serious. I'm sure they laid out the sacrificial lambs, planning to really do something in 2012. Well, the results are in. Up until 2008, I had been a straight ticket Republican voter since Gerald Ford got sent home. I stuck with my party none the less. I was with a family member that while Ronald Reagan was smothering James Earl, the family member softly said from behind me, "God help us". To which I replied, "God just did". By the time President Reagan was eating Walter's lunch, she was on board. Sorry, maybe there are no more Reagan's...or are there? Maybe the powers that be should look around a little more and folks at home should do a bit more homework. The times insist that you study up on your choices. When W. was coming up for reelection, by then I was concerned. I actually wrote an email to the White House stating that gasoline was so high, I only hoped that I would be able to afford to get to the polls to help reelect him. No, he didn't respond. Then came that morning when a couple of huge buildings in New York fell down. That raised my eyebrows a bit. At first, I was thanking God that he was in the White house and not that scoundrel Clinton. Well, then the more I heard the more I wondered. I won't apologize for my take on all that. I was, at the time ignorant of the Bush family. I assumed it was so he could start a war and use the military to take over those oil rich countries so we could have assurance of enough gas to last a while. All the while, wondering where all the country's oil is and is it being used daily or stashed. It was only recently, in the last year or so, that I discovered information regarding the Bush family fortune. Munitions....since WWI. Grandpa Bush was involved with the U.S. Military. It then truly hit me. W may or may not have been directly involv,.ed in those bombings in order to start another war, like dear ol' dad, so they could build up their bank account. Makes sense. Back to where I was going. Even W had the charisma and those eyes, until someone threw a shoe at him, to hypnotize us. He gave those rich supporters tax cuts for starting businesses anywhere on the globe. Hmmm, start a business in the states, like what happened when Mr. Reagan gave them cuts, or start one where I don't have to pay so much for good help, along with insurance and benefits like us spoiled American workers demand. And the manufacturing jobs vanished and here we are. Millions of jobs gone. Millions of proud, hardworking Americans not knowing where their next meal is coming from. And at the top of the list, in my opinion, is our total volunteer military, they go to another country, do what is expected of them and then come back to a home that isn't there. The house was repossessed while they were gone. Pathetic, but at least the Bush family can now use bundles of cash to heat their homes for a few generations. And speaking of Benghazi, take a look at W's record on such incidents. Abortion, you really want to go there? I don't like it, but, I feel that it is no way my business to tell my wife what she can or can't do with her body. Period. And it disgusts me to hear candidates use that issue to garner votes from those that actually believe they will do something positive about it. AS far as President Obama. I was sold on his smile, his family and quite frankly on his attitude. I am better off than I was four years ago. I have a job that I really like with a strong company. I have those good benefits, almost union like, that those other folks took out of this country. I know how quickly things can change. I could be like some others and get laid off with a slow down. Then I would be concerned with staying alive. I have medications to improve my health and by the way, healthcare and insurance that I will lose, should I get laid off. Then to be at the mercy of whatever government programs are available to me. Scary thought. I'm not a worthless bum,with the government paying my way and I strive not to be. But, I'm at the age where I realize I haven't put back enough over the years to be able to ever retire. But with the social security I have paid into and maybe staying healthy enough to continue doing some type of work, I might have a decent quality of life up until my number comes up. And like it or not, I'd really like to have some kind of healthcare to fall back on and maybe some education assistance to learn something new to keep me busy until the end of my days. And hopefully my wife will be able to stay in our home for the rest of her days as well. Our president? Sure, he can raise my eyebrows sometimes. But I believe that he believes that he's able to help with a group that has been kicked around for generations. Old and infirmed, young and struggling with starting out and not having a clue what they are doing. And one more thing about that, I can't believe the number of folks calling themselves Christians that do not believe in the idea of being "my brother's keeper". And you gun folks, I have no beef with you. You have an absolute right to own firearms and you should be able to buy whatever type of weapon you desire. You got the money, buy as you wish, rich people are allowed whatever they choose to purchase. But do a bit more of policing yourselves. I'm sick of hearing about innocent people dying because of gun violence. Do it or it's possible to lose that right. So maybe some courses on safety, push that....hard. Ok, if you got this far, you should be rewarded for giving me the floor to vent. But sorry, no reward. All you get for your trouble is knowing me better. If you are mad, I can't apologize. I've said it many times, I'm not an educated man, I only know what I see.